Track shoe



Nov. 20, 1945. H A, X 2,389,156

TRACK SHOE Filed July 16, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l H. A. KNOX TRACK SHOE Nov. 20, 1945.

Filed July 16, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 20, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE-.

TRACK SHOE Harry A. Knox, Washington, D. C. Application July 16, 1941, Serial No. 402,679 14 Claims. (01. 305-10) (Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

My invention relates to a laying vehicle.

An object of my invention is to provide a track shoe which has a plurality of staggered cleats or grousers formed integral with the track shoe frame.

Another object of my invention is to provide a track shoe with cleats or grousers which are adapted for use in rocky, muddy or sandy terrain and which are staggered so that their effectiveness is not readily impaired by rocks, said or mud lodging between the cleats or grousers.

Another object of my invention is to provide staggered cleats or grousers on a track shoe of the type referred to as the double pin type wherein adjoining link pins serve to connect adjoining track shoes, and to provide an arrangement of the cleats or grousers so that mud and debris is readily dislodged from between the cleats or grousers when the assembled track. is flexed as it travels around its predetermined path track shoe for a track on the vehicle.

The specific nature of the invention as well as other objects and advantages thereof will clearly appear from a description of a preferred embodiment as shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a bottom plan view of of an individual track shoe.

Fig. 2 is a view taken substantially on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an end view of two shoes connected to one another and discloses sections taken on line 3--3 of Fig. and line 3'-3 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 4 discloses a side view of the assembled track shoe and discloses tially on line 5-4 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 5 discloses a plan view of two assembled track shoes taken from the inner side of the track.

Referring to the drawings each track shoe frame l0, formed from tubular portions I l, l5, end pieces l8, l9, and web l6 has formed integral therewith three cleats or grousers H, l2, l3. Cleat l l is preferably formed integral with the tubular portion I l of the frame in this embodiment of my invention but it is understood that other means may be used, i. e., the cleat ll may be welded or bolted to the body of the frame and is centrally disposed and extends almost the en tire length of the track shoe frame. Cleats l2 the ground side a view taken substan and I3 are disposed integral with .and on opposite ends of the other tubular portion !5 of the frame. Cleats 2 and 13 extend beyond the track shoe frame, have a varying cross sectional area and have their largest cross sectional area at the ends of the track, shoe frame; the particular shape of the cleats l2, i3 is designed so as to be light in weight and yet have suiiicient cross sectional area so as to sustain the bending moment and shearin stresses to which the cleats l2, l3 are subjected by virtue of the cantilever construction. Each track shoe has two separate, individual pins passing theerthrough and for that reason is referred to as a track shoe of the double pin type.

The tubular portions Hi, l5 are joined by the solid web it and end pieces l8, is. The inner surface of the track frame has rubber l l or other elastic material vulcanized thereto upon which the wheels (not shown) of the track laying vehicle ride. Metallic pins 26, 2| pass through the tubular portions of the frame and are separated from the metallic frame by rubber 22, 23 or other elastic material as illustrated in Fig. 3; elastic portions 22, 23 provide an elastic and rotatable connection between the pins and the track frame.

Each end of each pin has a flat surface 25 which cooperates with the head of individual locking bolts 26 so that adjoining pins on adjoining shoes are prevented from movement relative to one another. The threaded portion 33 of bolt 26 passes upward through an aperture 21 in the flange 28 of the clamping member 29 which has two bearing-like portions 39, 3| partially encircling the ends of adjoining pins; the clamp proper is tightened by tightening nut 32 on the threaded portion 33. The clamping member 29 has an integrally formed upward extendin guide member 34 which is adapted to abut the wheel (not shown) of the track laying vehicle so as to keep the composite track in centered position.

Although the cleats l2, l3 extend beyond the track frame they are protected to a certain extent from impact with extraneous objects by the clamping member 29 which extends out farther than the cleat l2, 13 by about /8", ,i. e., the clamping member 29 serves as a shield for the cantilever portions of cleats l2, l3.

Adjoining shoes are preferably assembled in the track as shown in Fig. 3 so that lugs of the type shown as l2, l3 are alternately separated by lugs of the type shown as II. This arrangement of cleats has been found to be very effective in causing mud and debris to be dislodged from the track shoes as they are flexed with respect to one another.

It is not necessary, however, to arrange adjoining track shoes with adjoining cleats in staggered relationship in order that the advantages of placing staggered cleats on each individual track shoe may be realized and, if desired, adjoining track shoes may be connected with cleats of the same character adjoining, i. e., the individual track shoe may be adjoined with cleat ll adjoining a similar cleat II and with cleats l2, l3 adjoining similar cleats I2, I 3.

I claim:

1. A track shoe for a track laying vehicle comprising two parallel spaced hollow members, a web joining the spaced hollow members, reenforcing members joining the ends of the hollow members, a cleat formed integral with and extending between the ends of one of the hollow members, cleats formedintegral with the ends of the other hollow members, pins passing through said hollow members, and elastic material disposed between the pins and the tubular members.

2. A track shoe for a track laying vehicle comprising two parallel spaced hollow members, a web joining the spaced hollow members, reenforcing members joining the ends of the hollow members, a cleat formed integral with and extending between the ends of one of the hollow members, cleats formed integral with and extending beyond the ends of the other hollow member, pins passing through said hollow members, and elastic material disposed between the pins and the tubular members.

3. In a track for a track laying vehicle, a tubular member, a cleat mounted on the end of the tubular member and extending beyond said end, a pin passing through said tubular member, and a clamp mounted on the pin and extending beyond the most extended portion of the cleat.

4. A pair of track shoes each having staggered cleats mounted thereon and a tubular portion in the ends thereof, said track shoes being disposed relative to one another with adjoining cleats in staggered relationship and adjoining tubular portions substantially parallel, pins passing through the adjoining tubular portions, an elastic material disposed in the tubular portion and abutting the pin, and means for rigidly interconnecting r adjoining pins.

5. In a track comprising a plurality of track shoes of the double pin type in which each track shoe frame has two pins passing therethrough and a rubber bushing separates the pin from the frame and adjoining pins on adjoining shoes are rigidly interconnected; the improvement consisting in mounting staggered cleats on each individual track shoe and in staggered relation to adjoining cleats on adjoining shoes.

6. In a track comprising a plurality of track shoes of, the double pin type in which each track shoe frame has two pins passing therethrough and a rubber bushing separates the pin from the frame and adjoining pins on adjoining shoes are rigidly interconnected; the improvement consisting in mounting staggered cleats on each individual track shoe and with cleats of the same character adjoining on adjoining shoes.

7. In a track comprising a plurality of track shoes of the double pin type in which each track shoe frame has two pins passing therethrough and a rubber bushing separates the pin from the frame and adjoining pins on adjoining shoes are rigidly interconnected; the improvement consisting in mounting staggered cleats on each in dividual track shoe.

8. In a track for a track-laying vehicle, a track shoe, a relatively long cleat mounted on said shoe adjacent one edge thereof and extending transversely of the direction of travel of said shoe, and a pair of relatively short cleats mounted on said shoe adjacent the sides thereof and extending beyond the ends of the first-mentioned cleat, said pair of cleats being spaced from said firstmentioned cleat in the direction of travel of said shoe.

9. In a track shoe for a track-laying vehicle, two parallel spaced tubular members, a cleat mounted on one of said tubular members and having a substantial dimension lengthwise of the tubular member and transversely of the direction of travel of said shoe, and a pair of cleats mounted near the ends of the other tubular member.

10. A track shoe for a track laying vehicle comprising two parallel spaced hollow members, a web joining the spaced hollow members, reenforcing members joinin the ends of the hollow members, a cleat formed integral with and extending between the ends of one of the hollow members, cleats formed integral with the ends of the other hollow member, and pins passing through said hollow members.

11. A track shoe for a track laying vehicle comprising two parallel spaced hollow members, a Web joining the spaced hollow members, reenforcing members joining the ends of the hollow members, a cleat formed integral with and extending between the ends of one of the hollow members, cleats formed integral with and extending beyond the ends of the other hollow member, pins passing through said hollow members.

12. In a cast metal track shoe, a body with longitudinally spaced bearings for associated interconnecting pins, a single integral grouser formed on one end of the ground engaging surface of said body, and a pair of spaced integral grousers formed on the opposite end of said surface, each of said spaced grousers projecting laterally beyond said body to afford maximum ground engaging area, the ground engaging area of said single grou-ser being approximately equal to that of said spaced grousers.

13. In a cast steel track shoe, a body with longitudinally spaced bearings formed and arranged for the receptionof associated pins, a single integral grouser formed on One end of the ground engaging surface of said body, and a pair of spaced integral grousers formed on the opposite end of said surface, the distance between said spaced grousers being substantially less than the length of said single grouser, each of said spaced grousers projecting laterally beyond said body to alford maximum ground engaging surface, the ground engaging area of said single grouser ing approximately equal to that of said spaced grousers.

14. In a cast metal track shoe, a body comprising means at opposite ends thereof for connection to associated shoes, a single integral grouser formed on one end of the ground engaging surface of said body, and a pair of spaced integral grousers formed on the opposite end of said 511 face, the ground engaging area of said single grouser being approximately equal tothat of said spaced grousers.

HARRY A. KNOX. 

